Amalgamator.



J. A. MACDONALD.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MARA, 1914.

1 9 1 %8,@@% Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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"HE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO'LITHOU WMEMING TON. D4 C,

J. A. MACDONALD.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED HARM}, 1914. Lmsflmo Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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lllIHl I llll!Ill]llllllbilllilllllllmill ll'lllllllllll 2% THE NORRIS PETERS c0, PHOTC-LITHO. WASHINGTON D. C.

J. A. MACDONALD.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1914.

Lmwm, Patented Feb.9,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTG-LITHQ, wASHINGum'. D. a

JOHN A. MACDONALD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AIVIALGAMA'IOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915..

' Application filed March 1, 1914. Serial No. 822,489.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. lVlAoooNALn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amalgamators for the amalgamation of gold and other precious minerals.

The main object of the invention is to provide an amalgamating apparatus whereby the pulp may be subjected to a series of amalgamating actions within successive amalgamating chambers for the extraction and amalgamation of the gold in a rapid and economical manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an amalgamating apparatus consisting of a series of amalgamating chambers arranged at difierent levels and having intercommunicating passages for the flow of the pulp by gravity from one chamber to another after having been subjected for a predetermined period to the action of an amalgamating agent within each chamber, the pulp being brought into intimate contact with an amalgamating liquid, such as mercury within each chamber by means of a suitable agitator and when it reaches a predetermined level flowing by gravity into the next chamber of the series for the succeeding treatment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide simple and efi'ective means for regulating the flow of the pulp from one chamber to the other, for operating the agitators and regulators of all the amalgamators in unison, for washing out the tailings prior to a clean up, and for drawing ofi the mercury from each chamber for the clean up operation.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an amal-- gamating apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sec tion on the line 41-4: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view showing the manner of connecting the inlet ends of the flush service pipes.

Referring to the drawings, 1, 2 and 3 designate a series of amalgamating devices, of which any suitable number may be employed, three being shown in the present instance for purposes of exemplification. These amalgamating devices are arranged in stepped or gradient relation, at different levels, and are supported upon a suitably stepped base 1-, the amalgamating device 1 arranged at the highest level being the first in order in the series, and the amalgamating device 3 arranged at the lowest level the final in the order'of the series. Each of these amalgamating devices comprises a body 5 formed to provide an amalgamating chamber 6 having a bowl-shaped bottom or basin 7 forming a receptacle for the amalgamating substance 8, such as mercury. The chamber 6 is closed by a removable cover 9 provided with an inlet 10 for the introduction of the mercury, and each body 5 is detachably secured to and supported upon a hollow standard 11 having an outlet conductor 12 for the discharge of the mercury from the bowl or basin, said conductor communicating with the bottom of the bowl through a discharge passage 13. A sliding valve or cut olf plate 14: is provided to normally close the passage 13 for the retention of the mercury in the bowl, this valve being normally held closed by a handle 16 extending to the exterior.

The primary amalgamating device 1 is provided with a feed inlet 17 for the introduction of the pulp into its chamber 6 above the level of the mercury, but if desired, in order to render the amalgamating devices interchangeable, each of said devices may be provided with a feed inlet and suitable means employed for closing the feed inlets of all the amalgamating devices except the first of the group. The bowl 7 may be filled with mercury up to the level indicated by the line 00-02: when the amalgama-tor is working at full capacity, and to the lower level indicated by the dotted line 'y-y when the amalgamator is operated at its lowest speed and capacity. At one side the bowl. 7 is provided with drain outlets 18 and 19 communicating with valves or faucets 18 and 19, and arranged at the mentioned levels of the mercury, for the withdrawal of the water and tailings from the amalgamating chamber. At its opposite side above the pipes with water level of the line w-weach chamber 6. is pro. vided with a pulp discharge 20, the passage 20 of each amalgamating device in the series, except the last, communicating with a feed port or passage 21 leading to the amalgamating chamber of the next succeeding amalgamating device in order 1n the series, through which discharge passage the pulp on reaching a certain level flows outward by gravity and enters the amalgamating chamber of the next succeeding amalgamating device through its feed inlet 21. That portion of the Wall of each chamber 6 between the outlet 20 and maximum level line 0000 of the mercury acts as a bailie or retarder to prevent the discharge of the pulpfrom the chamber 6 until it, reaches a predetermined level therein. Arranged w1th in each amalgamating chamber is an agitator 23 carried by a shaft 23' journaled in a cross bar 2-1 and also journaled in and extending outwardly through a bearing opening 25 in the cover 9. This opening 25 is normally covered by a guard cup 26 mounted on the shaft and receiving a flange or boss through which the bearing opening extends to prevent oil or any other foreign substance from flowing down the shaft into the amalgamating chamber. The upper end of each agitator shaft 23 carries a beveled transmission gear 27 receiving motion from a beveled pinion 28 on a drive shaft 29 journaled in suitable hearings in brackets or uprights 30 rising from the body's, whereby the agitator is driven. The gear 27 is a double beveled gear and is also in mesh with a beveled pinion 31 on a shaft 32 j ournaled upon one of the brackets 30, which shaft'is provided at one end with a crank 33 coupled by a link or connecting rod 3-1 with a sliding head 35 suitably guided upon the adjacent bracket or upright and connected with a sliding plate or valve 36 controlling the outlet 20 to regulate the discharge of the pulp therethrough. It will be observed that the valve 36 will be elevated at predetermined intervals, once on each revolution of the shaft 32, which is geared to operate the regulator in timed accord with the agitator, so as to insure a proper agitation of the pulp and mercury and a thorough exposure of the particles of the pulp to the mercury for an amalgamating action before the amalgamating material is allowed to pass off. The shaft 29 of the primary amalgamating device 1 is provided with fast and loose pulleys 36 and 37 by which it may be driven from any suitable source of power,

and this shaft and the companion shafts of the other amalgamating devices are coupled for motion in unison by sets of inter-meshing gears 38 and 39, whereby the agitators and regulating gates or valves of all the amalgamating devices will be operated in unison. For the purpose of flooding or flushing the amalgamators with water to force out the tailings previous to drawing oif the amalgain, I provide Water supply pipes 10 extending along opposite sides of the amalgamating devices and having branches 11 leading therefrom into the amalgamating chamber 6, and three-way valves 412 for controlling the flow of water through the pipe and branches.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that in the operation of the apparatus the amalgamating chambers are charged with mercury through the inlets 10, the pulp being treated fed in any suitable manner through the inlet 17 to the chamber 6 of the primary agitating device 1, and the drive gearing set into operation to actuate the agitators and regulating valves 36. The pulp passing into the chamber 6 of the amalganiator 1 is agitated together with the mercury therein, whereby the mercury is thoroughly commingled with the pulp, and takes up a certain proportion of the gold or other precious metal contained therein. The pulp rises in the chamber 6 until it reaches the level of the outlet 20, through which it discharges and enters the amalgamating chamber of the next agitating device 2 through the passage 21, the

discharge of the pulp from the amalgamating chamber of the amalgamating device 1 being temporarily retarded by the valve 36, which opens at predetermined intervals to allow the pulp to pass out. The pulp deprived of a portion of the mineral is treated in like manner in the amalgamating device 2, and finally discharges therefrom into the amalgamating chamber of the amalgamating device 3, in which amalgamation of the finer particles of the mineral is eflectechthe free tailings discharging through the outlet 26 of the final amalgamating device. This operation is continued until a determined amount of the pulp has been treated and V the mercury contained in each of the amalgamating devices has taken a maximum amount of the gold or other metal, at which time the feed of fresh pulp to the primary amalgamating device is arrested and the valves 412 opened to admit water into the amalgamating chamber for the purpose of flushing the same, washing out the tailings remaining in the amalgamators at such a time, the tailings and water being drawn oil through the faucets 18 or 19. After this is effected, the gates or valves 14 are then opened for the withdrawal of the amalgam through the outlets 12, as will be readily understood.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the invention provides an amalgamating apparatus whereby the pulp or other gold bearing material may be subjected to a series of amalgamating actions, in a continuous manner, whereby a maximum amount of the gold will be extracted and amalgamated, and that the construction of apparatus described further provides for the convenient charging of the amalgamators with mercury, the effective agitation of the mercury and pulp, the washing out of the tailings from the amalgam prior to a clean up, and the ready withdrawal of the amalgam. Furthermore, it will be seen that the flow of the pulp or other gold bearing material from one amalgamating device to the other is controlled in an efficient manner by the action of the regulating valves 36.

I claim 1. An amalgamating apparatus compris ing a vessel including an amalgamating basin having an overflow passage, a gate controlling said passage, an agitator within the vessel, and means for operating said agitator and opening and closing the gate at timed intervals.

2. An amalgamating apparatus comprising a vessel including an amalgamating basin having an overflow passage, a vertically reciprocating gate controlling said passage, an agitator within the vessel, and means for operating said agitator and reciprocating said gate at timed intervals.

3. An amalgamating apparatus comprising a vessel including an amalgamating basin having an overflow passage, a gate controlling said passage, a rotary agitator within the vessel, and gearing for rotating said agitator and intermittently opening and closing the gate at timed intervals.

4:. An amalgamating apparatus comprising a vessel including an amalgamating basin havingan overflow passage, a recipro eating gate controlling said passage, a rotary agitator within the vessel, and gearing for rotating the agitator and reciprocating the gate to open and close the same at timed intervals.

5. An amalgamating apparatus comprising a vessel including an amalgamating ba sin having an overflow passage, a vertically movable gate controlling said passage, a rotating shaft within the receptacle, an agitator carried by said shaft, a drive shaft in gear with the vertical shaft for operating the agitator, a shaft in gear with the vertical shaft, and means actuated by the lastnamed shaft for intermittently opening and closing the gate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. MACDONALD. Witnesses:

AGNES M. Woon, HENRY A. Wool).

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. C. 

